Understanding Admission and the Role of Athletics

1. Understanding Admission and the Role of Athletics June 2010

2. Agenda • Overview of the the Impact of Athletics in the NESCAC and Ivy Schools • Review of the Admission Process and Coaches Involvement • The Academic Index

3. Admission Overview • Day 1 we discussed the Big 3 • Academics • Strength of academic program, grades and Testing (SAT, ACT,APs) • Activities • Hockey alone is not a formula for success • Personal Qualities • Interviews, Essays, Letters of Rec

4. Admission Overview • Today We’ll Focus on… • The Process of Evaluating a Candidate at Ivy and NESCAC schools specifically • How Coaches Get Involved • Ivy vs. NESCAC and the nuances

5. Admission Overview • Overview of Athletics Role in Admission • Can be a significant “tip” factor in admissions • Leverage it as a vehicle to help you achieve the education that you aspire to achieve • Coaches identify talent and have an understanding of academic/admissions credentials and past success • NESCAC and Ivy Coaches don’t always get the recruits they want • Admissions officers are made aware by coaches

6. Admission Reading and Evaluation • Players are identified as recruits • Focus immediately turns to the transcript, scores • Admissions does communicate with coaches on recruits • June-August coaches and liaisons are meeting on early commits and they meet throughout the year • Admissions may also inform the coach of strong admissions candidates that might be decent players • Well written and executed applications are important • A poor essay can be devastating to a case

7. Understanding Athletic Admission • If coach identifies a player of interest… • Coach presents a list prioritizing “needs” and sometimes will rank order the top recruits on the list • Some schools will have an admission liaison pre-screen scores and a transcript to see if the “case” is in the ballpark • Sliding Scale Model: The stronger the player, the greater possibility for admission • Being a recruit can heal the sick, it can’t raise the dead • Watch out for killer Cs…some schools will be more flexible • Grade 11 C’s on a transcript may put you out of the running at schools such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Amherst and Williams • Cs from earlier in HS might be explained if you show growth

8. Admission Overview • While many coaches may be examining the Academic Index number, the admissions officers reviews the Index in relation to the subjective academic assessment factors • Most important factor in admission in Ivy and NESCAC • Level of Rigor….are you taking any AP classes in grade 11/12? • Grades are the next most important factor • Grade 11 and first semester 12 are particularly important • Should I take a tougher program and risk a C or take an easier program and get a B? • Depends on the scenario, the school and the previous # C grades • The instance when rigor and grades are switched in importance is when you are at the edge of a band or an index average….then the grades become more important than rigor • Coaches have to look at the transcript to see if the case is presentable to coaching staffs

9. Admission Overview – Test Scores • We know scores are important, but how important? • IVY: It is a major part of the academic index. Sub-600 scores means you have to be a top 1-2 recruit in their class AND have good grades • NESCAC – A big driver for admission, but flexibility for top 1-2 athletes • Bowdoin, Colby, Conn optional scores

10. Admission Overview • The “Booster” Concept • Name given to student-athletes with high tests and great grades • Every NESCAC and Ivy wants to find a few kids like this • Become less important in Ivy league, but HYP for certain are looking for 1-2 student-athletes per year with indexes about 210 and possibly 220 • Several NESCAC schools have to find 1-2 recruits with 700+ scores – called A band recruits • Scoring in the high 600’s or low 700’s makes you a solid contender, but the higher the scores, the more options you’ll have

11. Admission Process • Every school is a little different • In both D-I/D-III, coaches are looking at several players for early commitments • In Ivy and NESCAC, students are always admitted as part of the regular process because grades, Oct/Nov/Dec scores are so important • The essays are HUGE for athletes!!!!! • Some schools will offer admission interviews during official visits

12. Admission Process – Ivy League • League office monitors and oversees on behalf of the Presidents recruiting and admission of athletes. • League created the Academic Index as formula to create a league minimum and a tool to force admission to admit a “representative” group of student-athletes • Over the last several years – response to “The Game of Life” – Ivy Presidents’ have monitored the admission of student-athletes more carefully

13. Admission Process - Ivy • D-I programs, trying to compete nationally • Admissions provides extensive support to assist in working to make teams competitive • 36 recruits over 4 years…some will be boosters • Coaches are active in bringing transcripts, test scores to liaison for review • Each year school has to balance the academic index of the recruiting class….more to come in this workshop

14. Academic Index Formula Used to Calculate a Standardized Number that incorporates tests and GPA • Formula Computed for Every Student • Not that important in admissions at most schools outside of athletics • All Recruited Athletes Must Average within 1-standard deviation from the institution’s average • No student may be admitted, without a significant institutional reason presented to the League, more than 2.5 standard deviations from the mean

15. Academic Index • Hockey Programs and Athletic Departments Have to Average and Report to the League Each Year • School Averages • Harvard, Princeton, Yale = 208-210 • Dartmouth = 204-206 • Brown = 202-204 • Cornell = 197-199 • *Based on Historic Values as the School Average is Recalculated each June • Some Hockey Programs May Have Flexibility in the Average they Meet – can average lower than the general athletic averaging for other sports

16. The Academic Index • Two Ways to Calculate • 1/3 SAT-I/ACT Average + 1/3 SAT-II Average + 1/3 Converted Rank Score • 2/3 SAT-I/ACT Average +1/3 Converted Rank Scores • Converted Rank Score is a GPA or Class Rank Calculation (based on charts or a formula) • Generally, 2/3 SAT-I Average + CRS is used

17. The Academic Index • Examples: Student A • SAT-I: CR: 680 M: 630 WR: 610 • SAT Average = 640 (64 Pts) • SAT-II: Chemistry 590, US History 610 • SAT-II Average = 600 (60 Pts) • High School GPA = 3.4 • Use 2/3 +1/3 Formula! • CRS = 68 Pts • AI = 64+64+68 = 196

18. The Academic Index • Examples: Student B (Same Scores with a Rank in Class) • SAT-I: CR: 680 M: 630 WR: 610 • SAT Average = 640 (64 Pts) • SAT-II: Chemistry 590, US History 610 • SAT-II Average = 600 (60 Pts) • High School Rank 31/325 (top 10%) • There is a formula for % and absolute class rank • Use 2/3 +1/3 Formula! • CRS = 62 Pts • AI = 64+64+62 = 190

19. The Academic Index • Examples: Student C • SAT-I: CR: 610 M: 590 WR: 600 • SAT Average = 600(60 Pts) • SAT-II: French 600, Literature 510 • SAT-II Average = 555 (56 Pts) • High School GPA = 3.3 • Use 2/3 +1/3 Formula! • CRS = 67 Pts • AI = 60+ 60 +67 = 187 • This is where admissions starts to get at the edge for some schools and for some players.

20. The Academic Index • Examples: Student D • SAT-I: CR: 720 M: 760 WR: 740 • SAT Average = 740 (74 Pts) • SAT-II: Math I 740, US History 780 • SAT-II Average = 760 (76 Pts) • High School GPA = 3.8 • Use 1/3 +1/3 +1/3 Formula! • CRS = 75 Pts • AI = 74+76+75 = 225 (WOW!!!!!!)

21. Admission Overview - NESCAC • Presidents, Athletic Directors and Admissions Directors meet quarterly with NESCAC office • Coaches have far less involvement in the process • Can support smaller number of recruits each year 4-7, depending on the school and the year • Level of support admissions gives each school varies widely • No “formula” used in league unlike the Ivies • Small campuses, so schools are very aware of the risks in admitting students “at the edge” based on grades and scores

22. Admission Overview - NESCAC • Early Decision applications can really help a case, if the grades are solid • With small student populations, recruited athletes applying regular admission are vulnerable to the general admission competition (400-700 per class in a NESCAC v. 1400-2800 per class in Ivy) • Interviews can show interest and be a big plus – even if not part of a recruiting trip • SAT optional for some NESCAC schools and can help a good student with weaker tests. • Bowdoin, Colby and in some cases Conn College • Coaches are a good gauge of whether you apply and not submit tests • First term, semester is very important at these schools

23. NESCAC Bands • The Banding System is more flexible in having a wider range but is restrictive in the number of lower end band athletes to be taken • Schools slot a number of players per band over a 4 year period • Schools are given a number of slots per year generally 4-6 • Schools have different allotments in each of the bands, and the bands are not exactly the same for all schools. • A “C” band athlete for Amherst could be a “B” band athlete for Connecticut College

24. NESCAC BANDS -Estimates • A Band: • SAT Scores 700+ average all above 680 • SAT II 720 • GPA: Mostly As/Top 5% • B Band: • SAT scores 650+ average, all above 610 • SAT II 640 • GPA: Mix of A/B/Top 15% • C Band: • SAT scores 630+ average, all above 580 • SAT II 600 • GPA: B Record/Top 20% • D Band: • SAT scores below 1800-1880 (depending on school) all greater than 530 • SAT II < 560 • GPA: Below a B average/Top 25-35%

25. Q&A • Q &A